Mary Sigalas, Vocals

Chris Queen, Piano

Dan Horowitz, Bass

Having escaped his hometown of Binghamton, New York in his early 20s, Dan has chosen to punish himself in other ways, mostly by playing bass in the same semi-unsuccessful indie-rock band for 35 years, Five Eight.

Meanwhile, he has gotten himself an upright bass and has branched off into Klezmer, jazz, and folk. In other words, he is in way over his head most of the time.

For the past 12 years (which seems short to him), Dan has headed up Klezmer Local 42, spreading Klezmer as far as Mexico and Watkinsville.

Dan loves hot food so Hot Jazz felt like an apt genre. He learned to Swing in the Artie Ball Swing Band. When the opportunity came to join Mary Sigalas in Mary and the Hot Hotty-Hots, he jumped!

Warren Weatherford,  Trumpet

I started playing trumpet when I was 11 years old. My parents liked to go to dances. When they couldn't get a sitter, they would take me with them. I would listen to the music until I got sleepy, then go out and sleep in the car. So one night, I heard this trumpet player in the band and told my parents I want to play trumpet like that guy. So my parents started me on lessons. My dad worked on the Georgia Railroad and we lived in a railroad house about 50 feet from the tracks. At night it sounded like the trains were coming right through the house but you got used to it. Anyway there were 2 sets of tracks in front of the house. When trains would meet, one train would get on the side track to let the other train pass. When trainmen knew they were going to be stopped on the side track, they would call ahead and ask me to play songs for them while they waited for the other train. I would play for them (Saints and other songs of the day) and they would throw me toys from the train. I guess they were my first audience. 

Then starting in the 8th grade, I was fortunate enough to be chosen for the Georgia All State Band for 5 years in a row. This was tough competition because you were competing against trumpet players from all over the state. We would go to Atlanta, practice for 2 days, then give a concert. My first paying gig was for $14.  I was in the 9th grade and had to decide whether I wanted to play basketball or make money with my horn. I chose the horn.  Then I was fortunate enough to be chosen for the University of Georgia Red Coat Band. I played in it for 5 years while I was in pharmacy school at UGA. I did not belong to a fraternity. The band was my fraternity. We had a great time playing for all the football games and going on road trips. 

After graduation, I went to work at University Hospital in Augusta, GA, for 37 years. I also spent 2 years in the U.S. Army(One year at Fort Benning and one year in a hospital in Tokyo, Japan, taking care of soldiers shot up in the Vietnam War).  While in Augusta, I was in 3 bands.  One was Code 99, a group of doctors who played dixieland jazz(I was the only non-physician in the group), then also I was in the Ken Dukes combo. This was the most all around group I played with. We did a mixture of standards and rock and roll and played lots of dances, receptions etc. I also played in a country band with fiddle and guitar at the American Legion. That was a good learning experience.  I had to learn how to play in the keys of A and E.  They didn't know what flats were.  When I was the busiest with all 3 bands, I was playing about 60-65 gigs a year(at least once a week or more) and making 6 to 7 thousand dollars a year with my horn(good grocery money).  When my son graduated from UGA in 2003, my wife and I moved to Athens and have been here ever since. I lost her 9 years ago due to cancer and still miss her.  Here in Athens, I now have the privilege of playing with Mary Sigalis and the Hot Hotty Hots and the Dixieland 5. Both are wonderful bands that I am proud to be a part of. 

My favorite trumpet player of all time is Harry James. He had it all, power, tone, range, and improvisation. I also like Al Hirt and Doc Severinson.  I do not care for Miles Davis or Dizzy Gillespie. Their music is just too far out for me.  My favorite jazz group of all time is the original Dukes of Dixieland (Frank and Fred Assunto). I grew up playing along with their records and got a lot of my improvising ideas from them. 

All in all, I have had a very blessed life. 

Dan Jones,  Trombone

Jason Ogg, Tenor Sax

Mark Turiano,  Drums and Percussion 

Brian Smith, Guitar and Banjo